Opinions Need!! Please help!

[Jliao]

My brother recently got his car back from the garage after a recently shocking grand theft auto. Now he's considering installing an alarm system, and the alarm system he have been looking at are Clifford Matrix and Prestige (can't remember the model); both have similiar function. After a drop by at a dealer, he found out it was around 580 bucks for the Clifford Matrix and Prestige for installation. Now, the problem is that he doesn't know if he should spend 580 bucks on such high end alarm system on a "Honda Civic" or if he should just go with stock Honda alarm?

Also, Him and I like to hear some opinions from users here that have used either of them and users that have installed 3rd party alarm system. Any suggestions/opinions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

 

[alexlitov]

Remember,
if someone wants to steal your car badly enough he/she will do. A pro can disarm any system within seconds.

 

[1sty]

The stock civic alarm is a joke like most of them.
The best you can do is find a top notch installer and pay out the ass for the install. Install is what makes an alarm not features.

 

[Jliao]

Remember,
if someone wants to steal your car badly enough he/she will do. A pro can disarm any system within seconds.

Well, that I definetly understand. However, we don't know if we're going to get a pro theif that's stealing our car OR just some random high school/college kids that's stealing it. I mean, having something to prevent it is really better than nothing, and having I want to make it least it's worth of paying it. On the other hand, if we really get a pro theif stealing my car, then I guess it's just my luck again...

Therefore, I just like to hear some opinions on the users here that have those alarm installed.

 

[1sty]

A poorly installed alarm actualy will help a thief steel the car

 

[ELEmental59437]

pager alarm

An alarm in general will help out in most thefts.

On my last car the cd deck got stolen twice in 2 weeks... and then i put on a free car alarm a friend gave me.. it had like 2 wires total that you hook up and its just a basic shiock sensor.. and they attempted a break in once more to see if the blinky light was functional and the sensor alarm went off.. and nothing ever happened to it again..

I dont live in a bad neighborhood thought and my car was a POS.. but I have always liked good systems in whatever i drove.. Maybe they were amateur theives and a simple alarm was too much for them..

On my P5 the first thing I installed was a Pager alarm system. I bought the Aladdin 2000 system which i belive is similar to those two you listed. I bought it on Ebay for 165 shipped.. the places around here wanted $300 to install it without remote start.. and i figured id install it myself and do a better job.. It took me about half a day, it was easy knowing where the wires are from this board.. The system works great but theres not much in my car to steal..

I agree if the theif knows what they are doing they will be able to steal the car regardless... but I also belive a 60 dollar alarm system will scare away the amateurs. The pager alarms are nice because u can kno about your car when your not in direct view.

 

[1sty]

True but the amature will be scared away by a stock security system and you taking your face plate.

A theif on the other hand couldn't a damn about either of those.
Most people that steal cars aren't amatures, they know what they are doing.